EXTERNAL POWER SOURCE VOLTAGE DROP COMPENSATION FOR PORTABLE DEVICES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable electronic device comprising:
- a connector having a first pin and a second pin;
a battery charging circuit having an input coupled to receive current through the second pin to charge a battery; and
a controller to determine whether the connector is coupled to an external power source (EPS) having a power converter circuit that can provide said current, and on that basis drive the first pin to stimulate the power converter circuit to raise voltage on the second pin.
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Abstract
A portable electronic device has a connector with a first pin and a second pin, and a battery charging circuit having an input coupled to receive current through the second pin to charge a battery of the device. The portable device also has a controller to determine whether the connector is coupled to an external power source (EPS) having a power converter circuit that can provide the current. The controller on that basis drives the first pin to stimulate the power converter circuit to raise voltage on the second pin. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
74 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a connector having a first pin and a second pin; a battery charging circuit having an input coupled to receive current through the second pin to charge a battery; and a controller to determine whether the connector is coupled to an external power source (EPS) having a power converter circuit that can provide said current, and on that basis drive the first pin to stimulate the power converter circuit to raise voltage on the second pin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12)
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11. A portable electronic device comprising:
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a connector having a first pin, a second pin, a third pin, and a fourth pin; a first switch to connect the first pin and the second pin, when activated; a second switch to connect the third pin and the fourth pin, when activated; a battery charging circuit having an input coupled to receive current through the second pin to charge a battery, and return current through the fourth pin; and a controller to determine whether the connector is coupled to an external power source (EPS) having a power converter circuit that can provide said current, and on that basis activate the first and second switches to enable the power converter circuit to compensate for voltage drop on the second pin.
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13. A method in a portable electronic device for charging a battery of the device, comprising:
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detecting that the portable electronic device is connected to an external power source (EPS) through a communications interface connector of the device, the connector having a data line and a power line; selecting a higher current limit, rather than a lower current limit, for drawing current from the power line to charge the battery; and driving the data line so as to stimulate the EPS to compensate for voltage drop on the power line, wherein dc voltage of the power line rises in response to the data line being driven. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An electronic device, comprising:
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a communications interface to be coupled to a portable device, the interface having a data line and a power line; a power converter circuit having an output coupled to the power line to provide current to the coupled external device for charging a battery of the portable device; an analog multiplexer circuit having a first signal input coupled to the data line and a second signal input coupled to the output of the power converter, an output to provide the feedback input signal as derived from one of the first and second signal inputs, and a control input; and control circuitry having an input to receive a measure of said current, and an output coupled to the control input to select between the first and second signal inputs in response to the measure of said current. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. An electronic device, comprising:
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a communications interface to be coupled to a portable device, the interface having a data line and a power line; a power converter circuit having an output coupled to the power line to provide current to the coupled external device for charging a battery of the portable device; a signal conditioning circuit having a signal input coupled to the output of the power converter, an output to provide the feedback input signal, and a control input; and control circuitry having an input coupled to the data line to receive a control signal, and an output coupled to the control input to adjust the feedback input signal in response to the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. An electronic device, comprising:
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a communications interface to be coupled to a portable device, the interface having a data line and a power line; a power converter circuit having an output coupled to the power line to provide current to the coupled external device for charging a battery of the portable device, the power converter to receive a feedback input signal; a signal conditioning circuit having a first input, a second input, and an output to provide the feedback input signal based on the first and second inputs, the first input being coupled to the output of the power converter; and a compensation processor having an input coupled to the data line to receive a code that represents a measure of a battery charging circuit'"'"'s input voltage, the processor to generate a compensation signal at the second input of the signal conditioning circuit to adjust the feedback input signal in response to the received code. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. An electronic device, comprising:
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a communications interface to be coupled to a portable device, the interface having first and second data lines and a power line; a power converter circuit having an output coupled to the power line to provide current to the coupled external device for charging a battery of the portable device, the power converter to receive a feedback input signal; a difference amplifier having a first input coupled to the first data line and a second input coupled to the second data line; a selector having a first input, a second input, and an output to provide the feedback input signal based on the first and second inputs alternately, the first input being coupled to the output of the power converter, the second input being coupled to an output of the difference amplifier; and decoder and control logic having an input coupled to one of the first and second data lines to receive an indication from the coupled portable device that there is a need for voltage drop compensation, and in response signal the selector to switch from its first input to its second input. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A method in an electronic device for supplying current to an external portable device, comprising:
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indicating, through a data line of a communications interface that is coupled to the external device, that a predetermined amount of current can be sourced through a power line of the interface; detecting that at least the predetermined amount of current is being sourced from a power converter circuit in the electronic device through the power line; deriving a feedback input signal to the power converter circuit from the data line, when at least the predetermined amount of current is being sourced from the power converter circuit; and deriving the feedback input signal from power line, when less than the predetermined amount of current is being sourced from the power converter circuit. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method in an electronic device for supplying current to an external portable device, comprising:
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indicating, through a data line of a communications interface that is coupled to the portable device, that a predetermined amount of current can be sourced through a power line of the interface; applying an analog scaling parameter to an output of a power converter circuit to derive a feedback input signal for the power converter circuit; decoding a control signal received through the data line from the portable device; and adjusting the analog scaling parameter based on the decoded control signal. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification